Governor sees investors in site of slays | Inquirer News

Governor sees investors in site of slays

/ 12:34 AM March 26, 2014

BULUAN, Maguindanao—Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu on Tuesday said the massacre site in Sitio Masalay in Barangay (village) Salman, Ampatuan town, would be preserved by investors who plan to put up an agricultural complex in the area.

The governor said a prayer house was also being planned on the site, seeking to allay fears over a project of Malaysian firm Univex and Filipino company Al-Mujahidun Agro Resources Development Inc. (Armadi) to develop idle lands in Barangay Salman.

Concerns were raised that the project would desecrate the site of the massacre, where 58 people, mostly journalists, were killed in November 2009.

Article continues after this advertisement

Mangudadatu, who lost his wife and several relatives in what is now known as the country’s worst political killings, said the project’s proponents would invest more than $10 million to develop lands circling Sitio Masalay into banana farms and to put up an agricultural complex.

FEATURED STORIES

Univex partnered with Ed Bullecer and Abdulwahid Sumaoang of Armadi in turning initially about 1,500 hectares of idle lands into productive farms, he said.

On Friday last week, Mangudadatu said he and Ampatuan Mayor Rasul Sangki signed a memorandum of agreement with Univex, represented by Gonzalo Ordenana and Michael Coote, and Armadi for the development of the lands.

Article continues after this advertisement

“This gave flesh to our dream of a peaceful and productive life for our constituents,” Mangudadatu told reporters here.

Article continues after this advertisement

He said that in the coming days, investors would start development work in the area at an initial cost of $2,800 per hectare.

Ordenana, Univex representative to the Philippines, said the investors initially had fears about investing in Maguindanao because of the province’s “negative image.” Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

TAGS: Investment, News, Regions

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.